Due to the nature of bacteria, maintaining restroom cleanliness and sanitation is important for the health of a person and the general public. When germs from a dirty restroom infect a person, it becomes very likely that the person will sicken others. One of the main causes of unsanitary conditions, particularly associated with men and boys, is the problem of splashing.
Conventional toilets typically include a toilet bowl, seat, and cover. When a male uses a conventional toilet to urinate, the male is likely standing, and the seat and cover are typically raised to provide direct access to the toilet bowl. Unfortunately, this position can lead to the inadvertent back splashing of the urine, which causes problems, such as unpleasant urine odor, stains, and residues on the toilet or near the toilet area, in particular, on the floor. This problem is particularly severe when the toilet is being used by either a large number of individuals or individuals who are elderly or infirm or being toilet-trained. For example, splashes outside the toilet bowl can be expected when a young child is being toilet trained. Persons who are impaired or disabled may also find it difficult to use a conventional toilet in the standing position without causing undesired splashing.
Existing solutions to mitigate backsplash include installing a splash guard on the toilet so provide covering to a portion of the toilet. The splash guard may be removable or permanently attached. As used herein, removable splash guards are removed in between uses or a period of uses, whereas permanent splash guards are attached to the toilet for a period of time and continuously used. Removable splash guards, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,461,411 and 7,178,177, are disadvantageous in that they require time to install prior to use, and storage during non-use, which can contaminate the storage area. For instance, a toddler who needs to urinate and has difficulty controlling his bladder may not be able to wait as the splash guard is being installed, and therefore would soil his clothing. Fixed splash guards, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,564,135, 7,412,732, and US20090320198, may be collapsible for convenience of storage on the toilet. However, their disadvantages include difficultly in cleaning, in particular, the collapsible pleats; complex moving parts, which are inherently more expensive to manufacture and harder to install; and storage between the toilet seat and rim or lid, which can lead to destruction of the guard due to a person sitting on the seat or lid and applying a compression force on the guard.
While U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,851 of Perry teaches a urinal splash shield that is flipped up for use and down for nonuse, the constant flipping motion can wear out the shield material. Furthermore, when a user sits on the toilet, the user's legs can inadvertently touch the contaminated shield surface. As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,921,478 of Vanini teaches a pivotal splash guard that can pivot 180 degrees from an operative, raised position down to tuck underneath the front end of the toilet bowl at a stored, lowered position. Again, when a user sits on the toilet, the user's legs can inadvertently touch the shield surface.
Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims.